A Burbank resident since 1936, Cal Pierce has seen some very early aviation in Burbank. He and his friend Hal Slafter would go over to Union Air Terminal (BUR) to look at the airplanes and to buy mayonnaise jars of 'dope' for their stick and tissue model planes. He remembers 'Gilmore' the lion being in his cage at the airport and going into the Paul Mantz hangar on the east side of the terminal. Cal attended Burbank high school until 1940.

Cal responded to an article in the Burbank Leader from April 7, 2001 and allowed these photos to be displayed for our benefit.

The 'Drake Bullet' in hangar 2 at Burbank, CA. This is the Seversky SEV S2 for the movie "Test Pilot" with Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy, made by MGM in 1938. Photo by: Cal Pierce

Editorial comment: This hangar (above), once used by Paul Mantz and Amelia Earhart, is still standing on the BUR airport. It has been moved to the south west side of the airport, where the National Guard used to be located. Only the steel and glass structure was moved; the brick and tile office portion originally located along the side was demolished and not rebuilt. The BGP Airport Authority will soon vote to demolish this original historic structure along with it's sister, Hangar #1, site of the 'impounding' of the Bendix racers in the 30's. These hangars were originally built in 1930 by the Austin Company and the are certainly the last of any historic aviation related buildings left in Burbank, if not in the entire San Fernando Valley, except for the Grand Central Terminal.

Wouldn't they make a great aviation museum? What a shame to lose them.

"Here is a Hudson bomber. This is from the parking lot just in a ways from the airport entrance. The building there is where I saw the first P-38. I could just see the tips of it's rudders." Photo by: Cal Pierce

Tex Rankin's Ryan ST and some of his trophies, set up on the ramp for an aviation magazine photo. Union Air Terminal, Burbank, CA Photo by: Cal Pierce

LOOKING FOR INFORMATION ON THE 319TH FIGHTER SQUADRON

I remember well Grand Central Airport in '42. I remember the planes, P-38's from the 319th Fighter Squadron, playing follow the leader on Sunday mornings. I was with the Calif. State Guard at the time. We did guard duty there until sometime in the Spring of 42 and then transferred to the aqueduct at San Fernando and up into Bouquet Canyon. I was on the corner of San Fernando Road and Sonora Ave. during the famous Los Angeles Air Raid, which you may have read about. That was sure funny. Watched the aa (anti aircraft) shells exploding in the air over L.A. and I was stopping traffic on San Fernando Rd. during the blackout. It sure was a crazy time. Oh, in case you do not know, the Calif. State Guard was formed in 1941 to take the place of the National Guard, which had been called to active duty. Just thought you might like to know this. Do you have any info on the 319th , outside of what you have on your GCA page ?

Thanks Cal pierce